Sunday, December 22, 2024
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Friday, December 20, 2024
Not One of the Guys
Attending Hamvention in 2012 was my third time doing it en femme, so I was still getting used to mixing with a crowd of civilians that was predominantly male.
Friday morning of Hamvention, I went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. There I met another board member and his wife, who I had not seen since the previous Hamvention a year earlier, so we hugged and caught up on the past year.
While I was eating and chatting, I noticed a group of guys at the next table checking me out. Finally, one of the guys got up and came to our table, excused himself and asked me, “Did you ever live in Annapolis?”
“No, I've never been in Annapolis, why do you ask?”
“You look just like the sister of a friend of mine from Annapolis. Sorry to bother you.”
“No problem.”
That was an auspicious way to start the day!
That evening was my group’s annual banquet. Arriving at the banquet hall to get the show on the road, some attendees (about 20) were already in attendance, so we needed to collect their tickets. While another board member manned the entrance to collect tickets from new arrivals, I volunteered to collect tickets from those already in attendance. Almost all of them were strangers and it was a very telling experience.
Most of the board members (all guys) have known me for 10 years or more. They call me by my femme name most of the time, flub pronouns some of the time and still treat me “like one of the guys” all of the time.
So there I am en femme decked out in a dress and peep-toe slingback 4-inch heels (see photo) collecting tickets from 20 strangers – almost all of them were male and they most definitely did not treat me like “one of the guys.” Instead, they were very polite and respectful and some of them were actually very cute in the way they interacted with me. They also got the pronouns right. I don't think I ever felt more womanly than I did when I collected the tickets.
After that experience, I became more aware of how strangers interacted with me during Hamvention. In general, woman smiled that smile which indicates that they acknowledge you as a member of their club. And men were overly polite. It became obvious that they thought I was a woman and not one of the guys.
Wearing Venus |
Pretty Christine |
Thursday, December 19, 2024
The Gift
By Paula Gaikowski (paula.gaikowski@gmail.com)
This Christmas season, I’m excited to share a special story with you. “The Gift” is a tale about a young boy named Paul, who finds himself trapped in a small-town theater during a blizzard. As he explores the stage, he discovers a magical dress that sparks a transformative journey.
Inspired by the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Paul is visited by a series of extraordinary figures from history: Chevalier d'Éon, Christine Jorgensen and Marsha P. Johnson. Through these encounters, Paul begins to understand himself and the world around him in a new light.
I hope this story brings you joy, wonder and a deeper understanding of the power of self-discovery.
Click here to read “The Gift.”
Please share your impressions with me!
Happy Holidays!
Love, Paula G
Wearing Venus |
Bogdan Kibalyuk femulating in the Russian television series Policeman from YouTube (Politseyskiy s YouTyuba). |
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
The Power of Heels!
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Gynecomastia
Monday, December 16, 2024
Stuff: Too Fat for My Skinny Jeans
Do You Like Skinny Jeans?
I find women’s skinny jeans to be a handy item of clothing when looking for something quick and easy to wear. I initially bought a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans in size 12. They were comfortable and did a good job of disguising my hip/bum padding. Then I lost some weight and went down to a size 10. I felt great! With further effort I actually got down to a size 8.
But….
Yes, you know there is a but coming. I haven’t been very careful with my diet and exercise lately. The other night I was getting dressed to go to a group meeting and wanted to wear my black skinny jeans. They would have been the right, casual vibe for the venue. Well, once I had my shapewear on and tugged on the jeans, you guessed it, I couldn’t get them zipped. Frustrating.
Of course I didn’t keep the larger sizes, so I had to do a quick adjustment to some loose, light weight black slacks. That at least kept the outfit cohesive. But it serves as a good illustration of how different clothing sizes and fit are for men and women.
Women’s Clothing Is Body-Conscious
I think we all know that women’s clothing is designed to flatter and show off our curves. Unless you buy clothes that are cut loosely, the difference between two sizes can be small. That means that a small change in weight can quickly put you in the next size. I bet that’s why some women have what they call “fat clothes.” They can wear them when their weight goes up and down. I guess I’ll have to do the same thing. Or I can go back to being serious about watching my diet and getting exercise. What do you think? Do you have “fat” clothes?
I’ll Be Back
Hopefully, as a slimmer version of myself. I welcome comments and suggestions here on Stana’s page or by email at Jenn6nov at-sign gmail dot com.
Wearing Shein |
Veit Alex |